<h1>1B. Define scope, vision, and targets</h1>
<h2>Scope</h2>
<p>Before you begin to think about what you will do (the strategies you will implement) 
you must have a good understanding of what you hope to accomplish. A project's 
<strong>scope</strong> defines broad parameters related to what the project 
will affect and might include descriptions of biodiversity and/or maps of the area. 
Efforts to conserve or effectively manage ecoregions, priority areas, 
or protected areas typically have a geographic scope or <strong>project area</strong>. 
Efforts to address specific targets, threats, opportunities, or enabling conditions 
have a thematic scope.</p>
<h2>Vision</h2>
<p>In addition to defining the scope, it is also necessary to decide on a clear 
and common <strong>vision</strong>, a description of the desired state or 
ultimate condition that you are working to achieve. Your vision can be summarized 
in a <strong>vision statement</strong>, which meets the criteria of being 
relatively general, visionary, and brief.  A project's vision should fit 
within the context of your organization's overall mission.</p>
<h2>Targets</h2>
<p>Projects select a limited number of conservation targets 
(also known as <strong>biodiversity targets</strong> or, more simply, targets). 
Conservation targets are specific species, ecological systems/habitats, 
or ecological processes that are chosen to represent and encompass the full suite 
of biodiversity in the project area for place-based conservation or the focus 
of a thematic program. They are the basis for setting goals, carrying out 
conservation actions, and measuring conservation effectiveness. 
For place-based conservation a complete suite of targets will -- in theory -- ensure
 the conservation of all native biodiversity within the project site. 
 Most place-based projects can be reasonably well defined by eight or 
 fewer well chosen conservation targets. Thematic programs are often 
 characterized by focusing on one main conservation target -- or one main threat 
 that affects multiple targets (e.g., a program to conserve blue whales 
 or reduce world trade in endangered species). Selection of conservation 
 targets typically requires input from experts and analysis of spatial data.</p>
<p>You should next determine the current status of each conservation target. 
At the most basic level, this involves developing an overall assessment of 
the "health" of each target. More detailed status assessments involve 
specifying <strong>key ecological attributes</strong> of each target, 
determining indicators for each attribute, outlining your sense of what the 
acceptable range of variation is for each indicator, and finally determining 
the current status of the attribute in reference to this range of variation.</p>
Outputs for this standard practice include:
<ul>Brief description of the project scope.
<li>If appropriate, a map of the project area (GIS file or hand sketch).</li>
<li>Vision statement for the project.</li>
<li>Selection of conservation targets, including a brief explanation of why they were chosen.</li>
<li>Description of the status of each priority conservation target</li></ul>
